Way to go, Kalki!

When they were hated, despised and feared,
When they were treated with disdain and disrespect,
When they were so condescendingly treated as untouchables,
Nature willed few people to refute the world about what man had said and made!

Months before, I came across an article about an NGO - Sahodari foundation in the Hindu. I was just about to dismiss it like any other article about some NGOs, until the picture of its founder caught my eye. As I further read through the article, I understood why it had stood out to me and why was I compelled to read more. It takes a heart to beat the struggles in life, and it takes a greater courage to become a founder of an NGO, one media specialist, an entrepreneur and a script writer especially when the person, the founder is a transgender. Meet – Ms Kalki Subramaniam, a Masters in Journalism and Mass Communications. Period.

The third gender is always a sidelined community no matter which place they belong to. In India, this colorful community is seen at most, begging and bullying in trains for a meager amount of currency. In the northern parts, they are said to bring in good will and luck wherever a child is born. They dance, bless the baby and move on after being paid handsomely. Whereas in other parts, they are also found in the infamous places best known for iniquitous activities. But there is a lingering question- Why? Why discrimination against them? Even if it is acknowledged, it just never goes answered. Not that there is no answer to it, but because the transgenders are treated more with contempt than with esteem. They are feared more than respected (at least as human beings). They are untouchables of our society who are always kept at bay for their not so normal behavior. And then there are people like Ms Kalki Subramaniam who controverts all the above said matter. Being a transgender she has actually proved – Nothing is impossible for anyone who is passionate about accomplishing the goals set in life. When there are a million transgenders who still suffer discrimination inspite of their recent entries in politics and education, this lady has mustered courage and has taken enough pains and gone far enough to secure her place of respect and laudable recognition in our prejudiced society. She has started the first entrepreneurship programme for the poor transgender women. Apart from these, her recent achievements include the making of a music troupe called Viduthalai Kalai Kuzhu for transgenders, matrimonial site for them and the most significant one being the declaration of unique identity cards for them (as is available for males and females), which is truly commendable.

People like Kalki force the society to rethink about the norms that rule our bias ridden society, in retrospect. She has just ignited the fire called change and I believe the change will be for good…..

Way to go, Kalki!

Cheers & God bless!!